ATI today issued a hotfix for all owners of the new Radeon HD 4800 series cards. This patch applies to both Radeon HD 4850 and Radeon HD 4870 and improves overall performance and stability. Also note that this hotfix includes the Display Driver and Catalyst Control Center.

The Drivers you probably have sliverel, are not meant for the AGP card, and for all we know is we cant exactly confirm the drivers being 8.6 but if i recall, AGP driver will be released many days later after the launch of the regular driver

I have ordered a Sapphire 4850 yesterday, hopefully ill get it monday/tuesday. So this is great news for me! Hopefully now I can get rid of the damn "nvlddmkm" bsod error im getting with my current 8800GT in my HTPC?? And next month because these cards are so damn cheap(not like nv´s monster priced) I will be picking another one for a xfire setup, or Ill buy a 4870 and get hybrid xfire or whatever ATI calls it? Thx ati, you get me, im not buying anymore gfx cards for 500+ euro´s. Now I can scale instead, buy two of these babies in crossfire I´ll get almost same performance as gtx 280, and in some games even better. And for less money. I could almost get xfire x with 4 of these for the same price of a 280??? So thx ATI, you understand that if PC is to remain as a competetive "gaming" plattform this is the future. No more cards costing 500+ euros. The most highend card should cost max 300euro/3500 swedish kronor.

Interesting, excellent performance on the 8.6 drivers and an increase already with the hotfix.
I'm looking forward to seeing anyones benches with the hotfix.
I have the feeling that in the near future my bank account is going to take a hit.

see, this is why i wish i was on ATI, they dont hold out on owners of their cards just so they can pull out a magic driver to boost benches against the compotition like nvidia has done with the 177.xx drivers.....

I have trie this hotfix driver in my two sapphire 3870 in crossfire mode with 3dmark Vantage:
This is my confgiuration
E8500-3600
3Gb DDR3
ASUS P5E3
FSB400
two Sapphire 3870PCBBLUE 845/1196

The first 2 test have corrupted texture with a medium framerate first 22 second 28 good
I'am impressed for the perline test: it boost from 11 FRAME to 33 FRAME
And i have noticed this thing, you have present the FLAGS TEST FINAL for PHISYCS... ok
it boost from 11 FRAME (8.5 catalyst) to 24 FRAME (HOTFIX 8.6)